The researchers were investigating the fate of Amelia Earhart continued after he disappeared in the Pacific Ocean 75 years ago. They flew to Hawaii on an expedition worth $ 2 million (USD 19 billion) on Tuesday to search for Earhart plane debris in a remote island. They believe, Amelia Earhart died after being stranded there.

The researchers will travel 2900 miles by ship from Honolulu to Nikumaroro in the Republic of Kiribati, which they believe to be the place Earhart’s Lockheed Electra lost.

The researchers also suspect, Earhart (first female pilot to cross the Atlantic) has managed to survive several weeks or months in 1937 after the crash.

Richard Gillespie, executive director of The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR), suspected Earhart plane swept away a few days after Earhart and navigator, Fred Noonan, landed on Nikumaroro, about 644 miles southeast of their initial destination, Howland Island.

Both left Papua New Guinea on July 2 in missions around the world via the Earhart equator. Gillespie said the evidence collected on previous trips to Nikumaroro to be strong evidence for his theory that states that Earhart died after stranding. Especially given the harsh conditions that exist on the island.

The goods were found, among others, an anti-bottled cream skin spots that were once popular in the 1930s, zipper dress from the same decade, the same knife he always carried Earhart, and piles of fish and bird bones are evidence The second pilot was trying to survive.

“We have a clue how long he survives,” says Gillespie. “Based on the number of these bones, he might survive a few weeks or months. This is the life story of Amelia Earhart is not known by anyone. It’s a heroic thing. ”

The discovery of the bones of fish in a camp where suspected Earhart make sure Gillespie, the animals consumed by Earhart and her colleagues who are Westerners.

“The natives usually eat the fish head-Pacific region. That is a delicious part by them. But the person does not eat the fish head, “he said.

“We found a large shell … Native of the Pacific will catch it and cut it open now. There are several shells at the camp were destroyed, “he said, adding that other shells used as a receiver of rainwater.

“We found a bottle found near the fire, with the bottom of the melt, but the top is not damaged, and the wire is made ​​into a coil. It seems that someone is cooking the water safe to drink.

The rest of the skull The researchers also found fragments of bone which, according to Gillespie was too damaged to take DNA samples. Gillespie believes, the skeleton, discovered by an officer of the British in 1940, is a framework Earhart. The framework has been brought to Fiji.

A doctor there concluded that the skeleton belonged to a man, but Gillespoe said that re-examination of the bones indicate that the dimensions of these fragments is the skeleton of a Caucasian woman. In addition to the framework, also found men and women shoes and a sextant box (land navigation tools).

What happens to the bone fragments are still a mystery. Gillespie went to Fiji with his entourage last summer to try to find the bones of the old armed with a tape. He said that they did find a box of bones, but testing showed that the bones belonged to a woman Polynesia.

A similar disappointment in the unprecedented research conducted Gillespie for 24 years to solve the mystery of Earhart’s death. At one point TIGHAR believes that they have found a book navigator of the plane. Never assume they also will find Earhart’s plane on the lake by the sea. But neither has been proven wrong.

Gillespie said that there was no evidence on the fate of Earhart’s navigator, Fred Noonan. “We do not know much about Fred. Pieces of skeleton found in 1940 belonged to a woman who died near the camp. ”

He theorized that if Earhart was catching fish and birds, he could still die of starvation, or face other dangers.

“You can get food, but you do not have enough calories to replace calories that you spend on him. Reefs are slippery and if you are wounded by it will cause infection and can lead to blood poisoning. Or there may be injuries from landing or crash. ”

In nine previous trips, Gillespie had his own experience how hard to survive in this place.

“The island lies four degrees south of the equator. The sun is very hot. There is no clean water. When you want to land you have to cut a path through the woods to the edge of the lake near the sea. Black fin sharks while meeting venue. ”

In expeditions over the years, Gillespie has always guessing how Earhart collect water, because the containers they found only a small cosmetic bottles.

“Then in the last expedition of heavy rain and storms while we were down the forest. Boca tree has large leaves, “he said, adding that rain water can be accommodated in the leaves on the ground. “With one small bottle of water you can collect from trees and roots.”